BESSIE WETZELL
U OF ORE
NEWSPAPER LIB
'J G E . E OR 9 7 4 0 3
County JP
Gov. appoints Gribble
GA2ETTE-TIMES
VOL. 3. NO. 22
HEPPNER, OK
THURSDAY. July 15. 1976
S Pages
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f iimi'm rtri vlnu alona some time. late at night, and you see
a couple of men. carrying metal cam and glowing sheets.
don't be alarmed. They're trying to caicn moms.
That's right. A former Heppner resident. John Rawlins,
and a Cornell University friend, Tim McCabe, are spending
part of their summer in Morrow County, doing graduate
work in entomology, the study of Insects.
Rawlins, son of Bill and Jane Huston Rawlins, left Heppner
three years ago with a couple of county rattlesnakes to study
herpatology, the study of snakes, at Cornell.
But, according to Rawlins, "by mere chance", he came in
contact with entomology and Dr. John Franclemont. "I was
inspired by the people, and the whole subject matter,"
Rawlins said, "and I divided I would change my Ph.D.
program to entomology."
So the two insect hunters have started looking for species of
moths in this country.
They study a wide array of insect related subjects.
"You don't become a grasshopper person or a snake
person, you end up much more general." Rawlins said.
"After a few years, you get proficient in most groups and that
includes plants and animals."
Both men have teaching assistantships at Cornell and will
probably end up teaching at the University level to make
their living.
They are teaching introductory and systematic courses In
biology right now.
Rawlins has had a life long Interest In biology, becoming a
snake specialist early in his 25year-span. Even in high
school, Rawlins was studying snakes In the area.
He even enlightened a few. There is not Just one poisonous
snake in Eastern Oregon, according to Rawlins.
"When people list the number of poisonous snakes in
eastern Oregon, they stop and say 'well, the rattle snake' and
that's It. Actually we have two poisonous snakes."
Rawlins said the second one is the night snake, a small rear
fanged snake. The efforts of it's venom on man are not
known, he said. because the snake hasn't bitten man to
anyone's knowledge.
John attributes his first step toward his studies to his
father. "For a dirt farmer," he said, "he Is an amaiingly
Informed natural historian." Rawlins also said Kirk Horn, a
former science teacher at Heppner High School, was the man
who "pcrclpitated my Interest."
McCabe, a Minnesota man. went to high school In Diworth,
Minnesota, and attended both Moorhead State University In
M(K.rehead, Minnesota and North Dakota State University In
Fargo before transferring to Cornell for his graduate studies.
tSo two young scientists, avidly studying at a major
university in New' York, are In the west, wide open lands of
Morrow County. Why?
Timy wanted to go west to find a certain species of moth
that little is known about. And John, well Morrow County is
still his home, and living here in Heppner, made it
convenient.
So far, the duo has been looking and collecting moths in
Rock Creek and Bull Prairie. Other trips are planned,
including a sweep from Northern California up the Oregon
Coast.
Their system for nabbing the flying noctoids is interesting.
They carry a large car battery. 12 volt, weighing sometimes
as much as 40 or 50 pounds.
They have a whole group of small black lights that run off
the battery. They drive around till they find a likely moth
habitat, checking vegetation or eyeing moth flightways ui
dusk.
They set up lights and suspend them in front of a white
sheet. The black lights cause the entire sheet to glow and
moths land on it.
Equipped with a half dozen cyanide bottles, the pair goes
about the early morning ritual, picking individual moths
Irom the sheet and placing them in the cyanide containers.
The cyanide, they say. Just knocks them down for several
minutes, giving them time to decide whether or not they want
to release it because it's a little worn or is a species that is
common. Or. If it Is a live female, they may dump it out and
let it recover.
The female is transferred to a bottle till it lays eggs. The
eggs are reared into caterpillars and finally moths and
studied as a species.
For a male moth, they Just leave it sit over night in the
cyanide bottle and that kills It and keeps it "in pretty good
shape."
How's that for women's lib?
"So little is known," Rawlins said. "People come through
here quickly and will collect a few moths. They are stored in
private collections or stored in museums. Fifty years later,
Tim comes along and writes to all these collections and
museums to find out what is available to the scientific world.
Sometimes you know darn well something else is there, it's
Just that nobody ever got there to collect it."
The two scientists from back east are having a good lime in
Morrow County, collecting hundreds of moths and a rattle
snake or two.
To some, it may be a creepy crawling experience, but to
these two dedicated men, it's all in a day's work.
County
vote
Finally . . . Delores Gribble
is the justice of the peace in
Morrow Countv.
Although she'll be up for
vote again in November,
Delores Gribble was appoint
ed by Gov. Bob Straub to fill a
vacancy, the second time in
her 13 year history at the court
house.
Mrs. Gribble has been clerk
of the court since 1963, except
for a two year stint at JP,
filling the first vacancy.
On Feb. 15, 1969, Lowell
Gribble, her husband, resign
ed from the post for personal
reasons. Mrs. Gribble, Mr.
Gribble's secretary, was ap
pointed by then Gov. Tom
McCall to complete that term
on June 2, 1970.
In November of that same
year, Mrs. Gribble was de
feated in an election by
Charles O'Connor. But, again,
she stayed at the court house,
hired by O'Connor as his clerk
and bookkeeper.
In June 30 of this year,
O'Connor stepped down from
office.
The county has been without
a JP since then, except when
Mrs. Gribble was appointed
pro-tern by the court to fill the
spot until the appointment by
Straub.
Mrs. Gribble, 60, a 26-year
resident of Heppner, is the
justice of the peace . . . again
and again . . . and possibly
again in November.
needed & sloW Start but
harvest is here !
. The Morrow County budget
won't have to depend on voter
approval this year.
The county budget stayed
within the six per cent annual
limitation. The total budget
for this fiscal year, already
started July I, is $2,095,948.
The county total proposed levy
is $493,056.
. Cuts in regularly funded
areas kept the budget within
the six per cent.
Alcohol enforcement and
dogs will not be funded at all
this year. Last year, alcohol
enforcement had a $400 bud
get. Last year, dog enforce
ment had a $500 budget.
Other items stayed the
same. The airport stayed at
$2160, the same as last year.
The law library jumped $50 to
$1400 total and the Pioneer
Memorial Hospital total rais
ed $10 to $56,573.
v The general road fund
stayed the same. The hospital
and road funds are serial
levies and must stay even. The
proposed fund this year for
roads stayed at $145,000.
The fair and rodeo, a state
funded program, was budget
ed for $70,890, up more than
$8,000 from last year's $62,695
total.
Revenue sharing monies are
expected to increase this year.
The year's budget calls for
$181,000 while last year's bud
geted total was $128,000.
The general fund, also under
that six per cent limitation,
increased just a little more
than $16,000. The budget last
year of $258,367 increased to
$274,703.
The school fund stayed at
$14,000 and the Boardman
Vector Control budget upped
itself to $2780 from last year's
$2616 total.
A separately funded mental
health program jumped from
xero to $86,847.
NopppQiiilon.
Hundreds and hundreds of
acres of amber waves of
grain, warmed by the sun,
toasted to a swelling fanner's
desire are relinquishing their
stand . . . giving in to the
choppers.
Oh ... the pain of it all. The
wheat fields turn from waving
seas of yellow to a facsimile oi
an overgrown stubble field.
'Quality good
The harvest has been slow to
start, according to Riley
M unkers, Morrow County Gr
ain Growers grain buyer and
seller.
But, Munkers said, the grain
quality is good. By the end of
- this week, he added, "we'll be
going full blast."
Get those combines in
working order and grab your
County sun can, then sweat
and dust will make a wet
shower look mighty good
around 10 p.m.
The North Lexington ele
vator has already taken in
about 10,000 bushel of red and
white wheat, give or take a
bushel.
Some red wheat is being
brought to the river elevator
to and it is a dry land crop.
Stan Kemp brought the first
wheat to the N. Lexington ele
vator on July 8. According to
Stan Kemp heads for the next strip
of wheat. (G-T Photo)
You bet. Harvest It here,
whether Mother Nature Is
ready or not.
dust cloths to wipe a sweaty
face. If the sun starts beating
down like the good old Morrow
Council adopts budget
With no opposition or proposition attending,
the Heppner common council Monday night,
approved the Heppner city budget, during a
special meeting.
The approved budget was in the amount of
$135,004. revised from the original proposed
budget of $158,710. Taxes necessary to
balance the budget are $62,552.
The general government department was
cut to $60,371; the swimming pool went to
$8830; the sanitary department was budgeted
for $1666; the police department. $50,558; the
fire department, $8343; the library depart
ment, from the general fund is $4236;
The road fund resources Increased from the
proposed budget to $35,111; water utilities is
$69,400; sewer operation budget is $29,500;
fire department equipment and building re
quirements total $12,000; sewer improvement
requirements were listed at sero; swim pool
sinking reserve fund is listed at $10,623;
Flood damage sinking reserve require
ments totalled $9168; the street equipment
$2009; police equipment was cut to lero; land
reserve requirements was $2000; flood
damage bond proceeds totalled $6718; water
Improvement bond sinking was $40,055; water
improvement bond proceeds listed at $8500;
revenue sharing was listed at $16,925.
Total budget requirements totalled $59,846.
Munkers, Kemp's grain quali
ty 'looked good."
Munkers has no production
reports but guessed that the
yield would be about 25-28
bushel per acre of wheat and
1500 pounds per acre of barley.
Kemp, wiping dirt from his
face as he jumped down off a
combine Monday, said the
"grain is not as good as it
looks."
Kemp said it had "good
quality but it's not shelling
out."
Lyle Peck brought the first
load of barley into Lexington
July 3 and had an early bicen
tennial celebration.
Farmers should take pre
caitions this time of year to
prevent fires In the dry fields.
Some of the new devices on
new cars and pickups can
cause quick flame and an
even quicker field loss.
Reports from the Oregon
Crop and Livestock Reporting
Service Indicated that winter
wheat in eastern Oregon Is
"heading rapidly but not
evenly."
By the end of this week and
the start of next, combines
should be cutting at all hours
of the day and night in Morrow
County.
Council stops
bank's try at
mobile bank
In a short, ten minute special meeting, the
Heppner common council balked at an
attempt by First Federal Savings and Loan to
build temporary, garage-type structure for
a mobile bank.
By lack of a motion, a mobile banking
facility, may not be built In Heppner.
Last week at the regular meeting. Orrn
Allison, managing officer at First Federal
Savings and Loan In Pendleton and Bert
Amdt, promotions, told the council that they
wanted to include Heppner In a three-town
mobile banking service.
The bank, they said, would be In the form of
a 31 foot motor home, equipped with hanking
necessities, Including a safe, lobby and a
desk.
The hang up last week was fire codes. The
bank officials said they wanted a pole type
structure for easier salvage in the event that
a permanent structure be built. That would
not meet codes.
The bank officials said permanent
banking facility could be built if the
population of Heppner reaches 3.000. That
view was the same for Arlington and Board
man, the other two parts of the three-town
touring bank.
The proposed schedule would have seen the
bank In Heppner two days a week, in
Boardman two days a week and In Arlington,
one day a week.
The bank garage, revised to be built with
concrete block according to the application
for a building permit presented Monday
night, would be a 12 by 36 fool frame with a
porch and landscaping. It was slated to be
built on the corner of Main Street and Central
Street, Just south of the Arco Station.
The building, according to the application
presented, would cost $12,265.
The banking facility met the city's toning
codes last week. This week, with the revision
that the building be built with concrete
blocks, it met the fire codes.
But the council still balked at the
temporariness of the building.
Mayor Jerry Sweeney told the council
members they w ould never see 3.000 people in
Heppner, the amount needed by First
Federal, to feasibly try a permanent banking
facility.
The three man council had two opposed and
one neutral member. Warren I'locharsky, the
neutral member, entertained a motion to
table the application bid till the next council
meeting.
His motion received no second from either
Ray Boyce or Jim Rogers, who voiced their
disapproval of the facility.
Amdt, First Federal's promotions manag
er, said the banking firm, was "prepared to
meet the city's codes" Monday night In a
telephone interview.
He said the building would be permanent
built on a concrete foundation with concrete
block. He said he did not know what the hang
up was.
Arndt said that he would discuss the matter
with Morris Groves, contractor, and come
back with revisions u they were needed